Mussoorie’s colonial past awaits protection

Neena Sharma in Dehradun

They came from distant places — Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Germany — enlisting themselves as soldiers and officers in the British empire before independence. But when the scorching heat of the northern plains (United Province) became too much to bear, they rushed to cooler places such as Mussoorie and Nainital. Over decades, Mussoorie became a permanent home for many of them. They built cottages, churches, libraries and cemeteries in the image of their homes that they had left behind. It gave rise to a unique form of architecture often referred to as the colonial architecture — an enduring legacy of the raj. 

But in the absence of any law on protecting Heritage and proper up-keep the numerous colonial buildings that dot Mussoorie are in a perennial state of decline and decay. They are in a real in danger of being gobbled down by builders, ever on a look out for abandoned properties. 

“Not much attention is being paid to protect and preserve the colonial architecture, though there have been some efforts lately to popularise cemeteries. These would not yield results if these are not catalogued properly,” says Hugh Gantzer, an old resident of Mussoorie and a travel writer. 

A year back, the Uttarakhand government had said it would come up with its own law to protect the heritage buildings, but nothing has come of it.

Given a relaxed environment, Mussoorie had become a popular destination for European soldiers and officers who could let their hair down without having to bother about the officialdom from Delhi. A feeling of nostalgia led to the naming of cottages and several places in the city built by the European settlers after the places that they were familiar with and had now left behind. No wonder then, foreign tourists travelling to Mussoorie are taken aback by the proliferation of Irish, Scottish and English names such as Skinner Cottage, Killarney and Mullingar mansions and many more. 

“These were named after the places where the original owners belonged; for example the cottage house owned by my family is known as Ock Brook after a place named in England. The property came up in 1831. Then for sentiment value, the cottage adjacent to our cottage was called Shamrock, after a place in Ireland. A cottage, Briare Brae, was pulled down, it had taken its name from Scotland,” says Hugh Gantzer. 

The architecture ranged from the simple design of the cottages to the more complex ones as witnessed in the construction of the Kapurthala Chateau. “There was no formal school of design that was followed as it was in the case of colonial buildings that came up in Shimla which was formally given the designation of the summer capital of the British. That is why the architecture of Mussoorie needs to be studied,” says Lily Dhasmana, superintending archaeologist Archaeology Survey of  India (Dehradun Circle).

Locals living in Mussoorie attest for the uniqueness of its architecture and say it cannot be ignored. “The key was functionality and the extensive use of lime and mortar in the construction of cottages. The thatched roofs have been reinterpreted again and again and adapted even in the modern times to local climates,” says Surabhi Agarwal, who has started an exercise to cataloguing the heritage buildings in Mussoorie. 

The churches were the first to come up in the city. The Christ Church has a quite a history, as old timers recall that Queen Mary, the grandmother of the present Queen Elizabeth (II), had planted a Deodhar tree while her husband is said to have gone hunting at the Viceroy Block now named as Rajaji National Park. 

Large estates came up later. These were patterned after European estates such as the Savoy, which according to experts, seems to be influenced by German architecture with turrets that remind one of castles of the Victorian era. 

The Kapurthala Chateau built with the help of French specialists is a beautiful example of French architectures and continues to be used as residence by the Kapurthala family. The Savoy has been converted into an ITC-run hotel. 

Significantly, another piece of Victorian architecture is reflected in the building occupied by SBI at Kulri. It dates back to 1859. The iron wrought railing with the motifs of the cross and the crown immediately draw attention. The building is said to be leased by LIC and the matter is now under litigation as the LIC wants the building back. However, to the credit of the bank authorities, a considerable amount is allocated for the maintenance of the building. 

Similar is the case of Mussoorie Library that was established in 1843, using wrought iron pillars to balance the building. “There has been no change in the basic structure of the Mussoorie Library as we want to preserve it. The furniture will remind you of old English parlours,” says Gantzer, who is a member of the library, which is managed by a committee.